


imagine

by letek



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, a tiny bit of phlox/archer but it's just pining on archer's part, archer dealing with the xindi attack, archer plays guitar and sings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28335402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letek/pseuds/letek
Summary: A few days after the Xindi attack, Archer plays guitar to help him relax and finds that Phlox also has a calming effect on his mood.
Relationships: Jonathan Archer & Phlox, Jonathan Archer/Phlox
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	imagine

**Author's Note:**

> \- literally the only reason i wrote this is bc i heard scott bakula's cover of imagine and got angry that archer never sang in the show. i don't even really like this song and i don't like john lennon but bakula's voice.... please listen  
> [bakula- imagine. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IeZJNC4osA)  
> \- if you don't follow me on twitter and just came across this you're probably very confused about the pairing. yes i do unashamedly ship phlox and archer. they're real, trust me. not a lot of overt phloxer here tho  
> \- anyway more notes at the end, enjoy :)

Archer took the old acoustic guitar out of his closet and wiped off the dust that had accumulated on it with his hand. At the beginning of the mission, he brought it aboard _Enterprise_ , underestimating the sheer amount of work and duties he would have to perform as captain. As a result, he had only played the guitar on a handful of occasions in the two years they’d been out there. Archer wouldn’t have brought it along if he knew that it would just end up collecting dusting and taking up his limited space. 

It had only been a few days since the Xindi attack, since _Enterprise_ and her crew were sent back into space with a new grave and dangerous mission. Everyone on board was on edge, anxious and uncertain, especially Archer. He knew that his duty as captain was to be a beacon to the crew, someone they could trust to be calm and level-headed. So, earlier that day, Phlox had suggested that Archer participate in activities that help him relax. Playing music always had that effect on Archer, which is why he decided to dust off and pick up his guitar again. 

Archer sat down on one of the chairs in his room and began to pluck a few of the strings. He could tell that his skills had gotten a little rusty. After a few minutes of tuning the guitar and warming up, he started to play a few random chords. He played a C chord and went through a familiar progression that must’ve been muscle memory. After a minute or so, he recognized it as John Lennon’s song, “Imagine”. Archer thought it might have been a little too fitting for everything that had been going on. He played the opening chords of the song and started to quietly sing the first verse to himself, feeling some of the tension already escaping his body. 

After a few moments, Archer’s door chimed. He sighed and tried to shake off the frustration he felt. He set the guitar on his bed and stood up, striking a rigid captain’s pose. “Come in.” 

Phlox walked in with a slight grin on his face and Archer immediately relaxed. 

He smiled and pointed to the chair opposite to him, “Please, sit.” 

Archer followed, sitting in the other chair that he had just gotten up from. “What’s on your mind?” 

“I was checking to make sure you weren’t working yourself to death, as you humans like to say.” 

Archer chuckled, “No, I was actually just playing music- allowing myself some time to relax as per your orders.” 

“Ah," Phlox raised his eyebrows and looked in the direction of the guitar. “So that must be a musical instrument then?” 

“Yeah, it’s a guitar,” Archer picked it up and started lightly playing a few chords. 

Phlox eyed him, “I see. We have something slightly similar on Denobula- a small stringed instrument called a virlna.” 

“Are you a musician, Phlox?” 

“Oh, no, no. I’ve never been artistic, in any sense of the word. No, I stick with what I’m good at- academia.” 

Archer grinned and continued lightly plucking strings, “Well, some people just aren’t musical. Nothin’ wrong with that.” 

“I didn’t know you could play this instrument. You’ve never mentioned it.” 

Archer shrugged, “Haven’t really had time to play.” 

“If this helps you relax, as you mentioned, then I suggest you make it a priority to play more often. 

“I think I will,” Archer smiled. 

“What were you playing before I entered? I believe I heard singing.” 

Archer stopped playing and rubbed the back of his neck, “Oh, nothing. Just an old song.” 

“May I hear it?” 

It’s not that Archer was shy when it came to performing in front of other people, but for some reason he was nervous about playing and singing for Phlox, like he wanted to be sure that it would impress him. 

He decided to give it a go anyway, “Alright.” Archer looked into Phlox’s eyes and smirked, “But you have to go easy on me.”

Archer began playing the opening chords and singing the second verse, where he left off before Phlox had interrupted him. _“Imagine there’s no countries- it isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion, too. Imagine all the people living life in peace.”_

Archer’s throat closed up on the last word and he stopped playing. With everything that’s happened, everything that he’s had to deal with in the past few days, it was too much. Archer could feel tears forming in his eyes- playing music always brought his emotions to the surface. Truthfully, it was cathartic, which is why he always found it so relaxing. But he should’ve just played a different song for Phlox. 

Phlox prodded him with a gentle smile, “Keep going.” 

Archer inhaled a deep breath and started playing again, _“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”_

He looked over to Phlox, who was watching him with a look of complete awe on his face. Archer smiled at him, happy that he was able to elicit that kind of reaction from Phlox. “ _I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.”_

Phlox’s smile was kind and his eyes were soft as he looked at Archer. Phlox’s presence here relaxed him- it made him feel safe and warm, like he was wrapped up in the giant comforter his grandmother had made for him as a child. Something about Phlox made him think of home. Archer didn’t really understand why, but he was okay with it- especially these days. 

After Archer finished the song, Phlox let a few beats of silence ring before he spoke, “Your voice is beautiful.” 

Archer smiled, “Really?” 

Phlox nodded, “Very... gentle.” 

“Thank you, Phlox,” Archer looked away from Phlox’s eyes as he felt a blush spreading to his cheeks. 

Archer could feel Phlox’s gaze on his skin as another silence formed between the two of them. 

“We’re going to get through this, Jonathan. It won’t last forever; your world will find peace again,” Phlox’s tone was so genuine and he sounded so sure in his words that Archer couldn’t help but believe him and feel comforted by it. 

Archer looked back to Phlox and nodded, “I know.” 

He had been having such a tranquil moment that the reminder of the Xindi felt like a complete shock to his system. Archer wished that he could just forget this whole thing for more than a few minutes, but he knew that this situation would be constantly weighing on his mind for much of the near future. 

Phlox smiled at him and stood up, “Thank you for playing the music for me.” 

“Of course. Any time you wanna hear it, just stop by,” Archer grinned back at Phlox. He didn’t want him to leave so soon. He tried to think of something else to say to get him to stay for a few minutes longer, but it was late. Archer decided to let him go; he wasn’t going to keep Phlox here just because he wanted the company. 

“I can see that this music has helped you relax considerably. Continue with it.” 

Archer smiled politely, “I will.” He was pretty sure that Phlox’s presence had relaxed him more than the music, but he wasn’t going to say that. He followed Phlox to the door. 

“Make sure you get a good amount of sleep tonight, too.” 

Archer looked into his eyes and smiled, “Goodnight, Phlox.” 

Phlox slightly bowed his head, “Goodnight, Captain.” 

Archer watched the door close and immediately felt the crushing weight of being alone with his thoughts fall back down on him. He sighed and turned off the lights. Archer decided that sleep was more preferable to staying up and worrying about everything- wallowing in the uncertainty and despair. 

Archer imagined Phlox lying in bed next to him, holding him, as he drifted off to sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> \- i genuinely don't like how the writers made archer so angry and militaristic after the xindi attack. i don't vibe with that at all. so i just made him a little sad and scared in this fic. does that make this out of character? idk but i think he would be like this too, at least my archer would be *shrug emoji*  
> \- also scott bakula plays guitar which means that i think archer can play too


End file.
